This invention is directed to pant-like, personal care absorbent products having asymmetrical spacing and/or curvature of elastic members around the leg openings with respect to an imaginary dividing plane between a wearer""s anterior and posterior sides.
Pant-like absorbent garments, such as adult incontinence wear as well as infant and children""s diapers, swim wear and training pants, typically include a pair of leg openings having an elastic portion around each leg opening. The elastic portions are intended to fit snugly around a wearer""s legs to prevent leakage from the garment. However, more pressure is required in certain areas around the leg, such as in the crotch area, than in other areas around the leg, such as in the dwell areas away from the crotch in order to increase the gasketing effect. Furthermore, pressure variation requirements differ depending on the wearer""s activities.
For example, for infants, the crotch area is typically the area around the leg openings most susceptible to leakage, while leg opening areas away from the crotch area are typically less susceptible to leakage. When uniform pressure is applied around the leg openings, if the pressure is too great, leakage in the susceptible areas is prevented, but the high pressure creates discomfort in the areas less susceptible to leakage. Likewise, if the pressure is uniform yet too loose, it is likely that not enough pressure is exerted in the areas more susceptible to leakage to prevent leakage in those areas.
In overnight use when a child sleeps on its stomach, the front areas of the legs are more susceptible to leakage than the back areas of the legs. Furthermore, in the sleeping position when the wearer""s legs are extended, greater comfort is desired in the back areas of the legs.
Active children have different gasketing and comfort requirements than infants or sleeping children. For example, forward movement of the legs is hindered when too much pressure is present in the front areas of the legs. Likewise, when the legs move forward, the back areas of the legs are more susceptible to leakage.
There is a need or desire for leg elastics for absorbent garments that have customized fit and gasketing around the leg openings to adapt to the non-symmetrical nature and leakage demands of the anatomy of the human body.
It has been found that variations in spacing among elastic members are factors that can be optimized to provide enhanced comfort, fit and containment about the leg openings by providing optimized pressure and gasketing. More particularly, such optimization is achieved with asymmetrical spacing and/or curvature of the elastic members around the leg openings with respect to an imaginary dividing plane between a wearer""s anterior and posterior sides.
The present invention is directed to customized fit and gasketing around the leg openings of pant-like absorbent garments, such as diapers, swim wear, adult incontinence products, and training pants. The resulting garment has variable spacing and curvature of elastic members around the leg openings such that the spacing and curvature are asymmetrical with respect to a wearer""s anterior and posterior sides. The spacing and curvature are customized according to the wearer""s level of activity to provide maximum leakage protection while maintaining maximum comfort.
The invention is achieved by varying the spacing between individual elastic members as the elastic members are applied to the leg openings of the absorbent garment. For example, the spacing between elastic members in the rear area may be narrower than the spacing between elastic members in the front area; additionally, the spacing between elastic members in the rear area may be narrower than the spacing between elastic members in the crotch area; and the spacing between elastic members in the crotch area may be narrower than the spacing between elastic members in the front area.
Alternatively, the invention can be achieved by varying both the spacing between the individual elastic members and the curvature of the elastic members as the elastic members are applied to the leg openings.
The customized spacing and curvature are adapted to the non-symmetrical nature and leakage demands of the anatomy of the human body for increased comfort as well as a gasket-like fit about the wearer""s legs. As a result, the spacing and curvature of the elastic members in the resulting absorbent garment is asymmetrical with respect to the front and back of the wearer""s body. Furthermore, greater gasketing (better leakage prevention) is provided in areas where leakage is more likely to occur, and less gasket pressure is provided for greater comfort in areas where leakage is less likely to occur.
With the foregoing in mind, it is a feature and advantage of the invention to provide customized spacing and curvature of elastic members around the leg openings of an absorbent garment resulting in optimized performance of the leg elastics in terms of comfort, fit and containment.